Isolation, characterization and formulation of curcuminoids and in vitro release study of the encapsulated particles

The Extraction Process, Separation, and Identification of Curcuminoids from Turmeric Curcuma longa

Turmeric Curcuma longa is a well-known spice with various health benefits, attributed primarily to curcumin. Soxhlet extraction, cold maceration, ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), and supercritical fluid extraction were performed, and the content of total phenols, proanthocyanidins, and antioxidants was analysed by UV/VIS spectrophotometry. High-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) was employed to identify and quantify the curcumin content. Supercritical extracts had the highest total phenolic content (538.95 mg GA/100 g material), while the Soxhlet extracts had the highest content of proanthocyanidins (4.77 mg PAC/100 g of material). Extracts obtained by UAE and supercritical extraction have the highest antioxidant potential. Antioxidant activity measured by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) was 64.27% and 1750.32 mg Trolox per g dry weight by 2,2-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline 6 sulphonic acid) (ABTS+•) for the extract obtained by supercritical extraction. The UAE resulted in the highest amount of curcumin (1.91 mg curcumin/g material). A kinetic study showed that extraction yield in supercritical extracts decreased with increasing temperature and that the content of isolated curcumin was inversely proportional to solvent-to-feed ratio (S/F). The present study has confirmed that turmeric is an excellent source of antioxidants, such as curcumin, that play an important role in reducing cellular stress by neutralising free radicals.

Selecting Endophytes for Rhizome Production, Curcumin Content, Biocontrol Potential, and Antioxidant Activities of Turmeric (Curcuma longa)

Beneficial endophytes may enhance plant growth and stress tolerance. Yet, the plant health benefits of endophytes can be altered by biotic and abiotic factors and, thus, favour the inhibition of turmeric growth and curcumin production. The double petri dish method and greenhouse pot experiments were conducted to assess the biocontrol potential and impact of endophytes on the output, curcumin levels, and antioxidant activities of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.). The results showed that endophytes could control some disease-causing plant pathogens: 52% of all isolates have an antagonistic action against Fusarium oxysporum, 43% against Pythium myriotylum, 35% against Phytophthora megakarya, and 56% against Ralstonia solanacearum in vitro. Eight months after sowing, most endophyte isolates can increase the yield of turmeric rhizomes on a sterile substrate after inoculation, with yields ranging from 42 to 105% higher than the control and 3 to 50% higher than the urea treatment. In addition, 52% endophytes isolate significantly raised curcumin levels after 8 months of culture (from 2.1 to 3.1%) compared to control (1.7%) and urea treatment (1.8%). These endophytes promote an increase in the levels of reduced glutathione (22%), total thiols (26%), and carotenoids (91%) in turmeric. The study concludes that, in general, the endophytes-turmeric association can stimulate turmeric rhizome production, curcumin, and the antioxidant activities of the plant. They can also be used as biocontrol agents for plant pathogens.

Fabrication of a narrow size nano curcuminoid emulsion by combining phase inversion temperature and ultrasonication: preparation and bioactivity

A novel method to prepare narrow size nano curcuminoids from Curcuma longa.

Endogenous antioxidant properties of curcuminoids from Curcuma longa L. obtained by a single-step extraction/nanoencapsulation approach

Curcuminoids found in turmeric have attracted attention due to their remarkable biological activity. Nanoencapsulation may improve their technological properties, but extraction and encapsulation procedures could be time-consuming and expensive when carried out separately. This work aimed to combine extraction and nanoencapsulation steps to obtain curcuminoids-polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) nanoparticles directly from plant rhizomes. This single-step procedure was evaluated by a Rotatable Central Composite Design (RCCD) and optimized using desirability functions, resulting in the optimal conditions of temperature (29.9°C), ethanol (99%), and PVP (15.38 mg). Nanoencapsulation allowed curcuminoids to exert scavenging activity against superoxide anions donors and hydrogen peroxide in an aqueous medium, despite their poor water solubility. Curcuminoids-PVP nanoparticles could be used to formulate nutraceutical foods as an adjuvant to the endogenous antioxidant defense systems protecting against cellular damage. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Simultaneous extraction and nanoencapsulation of curcuminoids from turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) was studied in this work. The combination of two processes in one single step reduces production time and costs, enhancing the feasibility of curcuminoids microparticles application into foodstuff. Moreover, since most foodstuff presents water in their composition, increase of curcuminoids water dispersibility could facilitate their incorporation into food matrices and improve the use of their health benefits, as results from this research demonstrated that encapsulated curcuminoids were able to scavenge reactive oxygen species in aqueous medium, even though they are lipophilic compounds.

Novel Technologies Based on Supercritical Fluids for the Encapsulation of Food Grade Bioactive Compounds

In recent years, the demand for nutritive, functional and healthy foods has increased. This trend has induced the food industry to investigate novel technologies able to produce ingredients with enhanced functional and physicochemical properties. Among these technologies, one of the most promising is the encapsulation based on supercritical fluids. Thanks to the inherent absence of organic solvent, the low temperature of the process to reach a supercritical state and the capacity to dissolve lipid soluble bioactives, the encapsulation with supercritical carbon dioxide represents a green technology to produce several functional ingredients, with enhanced stability, high load and tailored protection from environmental factors. Furthermore, from the fine-tuning of the process parameters like temperature, pressure and flow rate, the resulting functional ingredient can be easily designed to tailor the controlled release of the bioactive, or to reach specific levels of taste, odor and color. Accordingly, the aim of the present review is to summarize the state of the art of the techniques based on supercritical carbon dioxide for the encapsulation of bioactive compounds of food interest. Pros and cons of such techniques will be highlighted, giving emphasis to their innovative aspects that could be of interest to the food industry.

Preparation and in vitro release kinetics of nitrendipine-loaded PLLA-PEG-PLLA microparticles by supercritical solution impregnation process

In this work, drug-loaded polymer microparticles were prepared by a supercritical solution impregnation (SSI) process with nitrendipine as the model drug and PLLA-PEG-PLLA as the drug carrier. The morphology, size, distribution and functional groups of the drug-loaded microparticles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), laser particle size analyzer and fourier transform infrared analysis (FTIR). The effects of pressure, temperature and cosolvent concentration on the drug loading and release property of the microparticles prepared with and without cosolvent were investigated. The in vitro drug release kinetics of drug-loaded microparticles was studied with five models. The results indicated that the morphology of the drug-loaded polymer microparticles was not influenced by the SSI process. And the addition of ethanol cosolvent could significantly improve the drug loading of the microparticles. The most satisfied drug loading and the release properties of the microparticles were achieved under 55 °C, 13 MPa and cosolvent ethanol concentration of 3%. The drug could be released for more than 140 h. The analysis of the drug release kinetics showed that the experimental data fitted with Ritger-Peppas model were optimal. According to the release exponent value, the in vitro release process of the nitrendipine-loaded microparticles was controlled by Fickian diffusion, which can provides a theoretical basis for drug release of this type of experiment.

Biological activities of curcuminoids, other biomolecules from turmeric and their derivatives - A review

In recent years, several drugs have been developed deriving from traditional products and current drug research is actively investigating the possible therapeutic roles of many Ayruvedic and Traditional Indian medicinal therapies. Among those being investigated is Turmeric. Its most important active ingredient is curcuminoids. Curcuminoids are phenolic compounds commonly used as a spice, pigment and additive also utilized as a therapeutic agent used in several foods. Comprehensive research over the last century has revealed several important functions of curcuminoids. Various preclinical cell culture and animals studies suggest that curcuminoids have extensive biological activity as an antioxidant, neuroprotective, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, anti-acidogenic, radioprotective and arthritis. Different clinical trials also suggest a potential therapeutic role for curcuminoids in numerous chronic diseases such as colon cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, inflammatory bowel diseases. The aim of this review is to summarize the chemistry, analog, metal complex, formulations of curcuminoids and their biological activities.